How long can the head live without the body?

UPSGuy

Lurker ಠ_ಠ

Posts: 2733

Loc: Nashville, TN

3+ Months Ago

Interesting read. No spoilers from me.

http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2009/08/h ... evere.html

Jenie0109

Proficient

Posts: 408

3+ Months Ago

They say it's an average of 20 seconds. I read somewhere, there was an account where a guy in a car accident saw his decapitated friend's head stare at his own body and showed expressions of fear and anxiety. What could possibly go on with a person's mind when he/she is decapitated. Very interesting.

digitalMedia

a.k.a. dM

Posts: 5146

Loc: SC-USA

3+ Months Ago

Jenie0109 wrote:

What could possibly go on with a person's mind...

I hope to never find out, myself. I don't like what's going through my mind after reading that.

There is a Youtube video of a dog's head that lasts 3 hours seperated from it's body, it has an artificial heart pumping oxygenated blood through it.

camperjohn

Guru

Posts: 1127

Loc: San Diego

3+ Months Ago

Careful, this is gross:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSrIkUXwsNk

Jenie0109

Proficient

Posts: 408

3+ Months Ago

camperjohn wrote:

Careful, this is gross:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSrIkUXwsNk

I've seen this before and it is amazing but I think it will never work on humans.

joebert

Fart Bubbles

Posts: 13506

Loc: Florida

3+ Months Ago

I was going to say that if Futurama is any indication, indefinitely. Then I saw this and got distracted.

camperjohn wrote:

Careful, this is gross:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rSrIkUXwsNk

That is one of the most disturbing things I have ever seen. I've seen my fair share of gory things, but that almost makes torture look humane.

Bogey

Genius

Posts: 8417

Loc: USA

3+ Months Ago

That is awefull... I don't want to die like that... seeing myself die *shudder*

devilwood

Silver Member

Posts: 439

3+ Months Ago

The great Lavoisier discoverer of oxygen was executed for his job during the french revolution. I believe he collected taxes for the king, but used most of his money to fund his research on combustion. The judge was quoted as saying something to the extent like, 'We do not need scientists or chemists.' when Lavoisier was trying to appeal his execution. However, Lavoisier experimented up till the end as accounted in several texts I've read that he asked someone to count how many times he blinked after his head was cut off to test how long the head could survive once removed. I recommend google-ing this remarkable scientist (Antoine Lavoisier) for anyone who doesn't know his contributions to science and his sad tale.

jflynn

Mastermind

Posts: 2305

Loc: Baker City, Oregon

3+ Months Ago

devilwood wrote:

I've read that he asked someone to count how many times he blinked after his head was cut off to test how long the head could survive once removed.